The Respiratory Microbiome in Health and Disease

The respiratory tract is in continuous contact with the environment. Until very recently, it was believed that the lungs were in fact sterile. Contrary to this long-held and incorrect view, it is now recognized that microbial communities are present in the lungs in both health and disease. In this article, we will explore the role of the respiratory microbiome in health and review and discuss the shifts that occur across a spectrum of respiratory diseases.